Malmö – leading the way in public toilets

Malmö has become a pioneer in providing public toilets. Danfo has delivered approximately 40 toilet buildings in the city since 2001.

It was in association with a trade fair for housing that Danfo was commissioned by Malmö to deliver their first trial toilet building, for the Västra Hamn area. “Previously, people often associated the public toilets in Malmö, as in most other places, with inconspicuous locations and poor maintenance. We wanted to change this, by investing in quality and creating facilities that blended into the surroundings,” says Rickard Szymczak, who was responsible for public toilets at the Streets and Parks Department.

A toilet programme
Malmö had clear ideas about what it wanted to achieve, and Danfo’s toilet building was able to satisfy them all. Further toilets at selected locations in central Malmö soon followed the first installation.
“One of these was an additional toilet at a new site in the Västra Hamn area after some years. This was a larger building with several toilets and, just as other toilets in Malmö, was suitable for use by those with disabilities. It was highly appreciated and was eventually awarded ‘Guldsitsen’ due to its availability and the fact that it was clean and attractive.” Cleanliness and maintenance are two things that Rickard Szymczak emphasises are of utmost importance in the success for Danfo toilets in Malmö.

“A wise choice of materials and good design make it easy to keep the toilet clean, but continuous maintenance is just as important.”

A toilet programme for Malmö was drawn up in 2005, updated in 2010, and is to continue until 2020. The programme involved, among other measures, a review of the toilet situation in the city and a presentation to politicians of the measures necessary to increase the availability of public toilets.

A good example
The programme of measures led to increased collaboration with Danfo concerning not only the delivery of new and well-adapted toilet buildings, but also the renovation and refurbishing of existing public toilets. A previous contract with a sub-contractor concerning maintenance and care was developed, and the sub-contractor is now responsible for around 50 toilet buildings in central Malmö. “As a result of this, and the high quality of Danfo toilets with respect to both appearance and design, Malmö has become something of a good example in providing public toilets. We receive many visits from other municipalities who are here to see and learn,” concludes Rickard Szymczak.